Tech behind Google Pixel Portrait mode is Open source now

Google has recently launched their Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL handsets. Undoubtedly they pack one of the best cameras on a smartphone. Specifically in terms of Depth mode/Portrait mode Pixel devices are extremely accurate and they just nailed it. The depth quality offered by those are even comparable to a professional camera to some extent.

There is some technology kicking behind the body shell which captures those captivating shots. In recent, Google has made a big announcement and as per it, the Tech working behind portrait mode is open source now.

The biggest shocking fact is that Pixel-series devices make use of a single camera and are still capable of achieving supreme quality. Google has their own technology known as “Semantic Image Segmentation”. Which in brief assigns semantic labels to the objects. In brief, it helps the handset to observe the objects in an image and create different segments by separating background from the subject. For now, this technology is being used for creating portrait shots.

A developer has also ported this thing to the old Pixel devices by launching the app Camera NX mod. The technology here is also identical. This technology can be used in a number of things like changing the background of an image in one click, etc. So as we all know this technology is now open source. Which means that the developers will now be able to embed that Portrait mode feature in their apps as well. Now we are also expecting some custom ROMs for various devices which will come with the support of the same tech as it is open source now.

According to us the next generation Pixel 3 will be backed by something more productive. As it would be an injustice to the users who will be paying that much money. Along with portrait mode, the device will come with some additional functionalities. If you are looking for more detailed info, head over to the official Google website.

He likes to play with the latest phones, gaming consoles, PCs, laptops and when he gets some spare time he likes to do VFX stuff. You can always find him playing with tools like Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, After Effects, etc. His current gear is OnePlus 6.